joined together, make one perfon. How your foul, and body are united, and make one perfon, you can no more explain to me, than I can explain to you the doctrine of the Trinity: but you believe it notwithstanding. It is just fo with the Trinity. I am affured in fcripture, there is only one God; but I am affured also, this one God confifts of three diftinct powers. I can comprehend this no more, than I can, that I am one perfon, tho' I confift both of a body, and a foul. Ignorant therefore of my own nature, am I furprized at my not being able to comprehend the nature of God?

If then we believe the truth of fcripture on the evidence of reason, we have nothing to do, on this fubject, but just to take the fcripture account; and examine no farther: for it is impoffible we can know more. But when men, instead of refting in this confined knowledge, and turning the doctrine to a practical use, make it the subject only of enquiry and argument, they certainly treat it in a way, in which God Almighty never intended. it fhould be treated. If he had, he would have explained it to us.

The curiofity of man is endless; and it is a useful principle, as it is the fource of all his knowledge

and

and improvement. It carries him to the heavens above. It examines the ftars. It calls them by their names. It fixes their motions. It dives into the ocean; and fearches the fecrets of the great deep. And all this is very well: for one half of the world, who are not employed in bodily labour, must have at least ought to have-employment for their minds.

But the curiofity of man not fatisfied with all this, is continually ftraying beyond its limits. It is not fatisfied with the depths of science, in which mistakes are not dangerous; it will examine the deep things of God. No difficulties in religion are too much for it. Nothing fhall be hid-nothing myfterious. If reafon cannot mafter them, they must be falfe.

No doctrine hath administered more matter of idle curiofity to mankind, than this of the Trinity. One man from an obfcure text of fcripture, hath conceived one thing: another man, from fome other paffage of fcripture hath conceived another thing quite the reverse: and it must ever be fo in points which are only juft touched; and which human reafon can never understand.

Nor is this much amifs.-The great mischief is, when people are thus difpofed to examine

into mysterious points, which oftentimes, one should hope, they might innocently hold either on one fide or the other, of a difficult queftion; they are not fatisfied with keeping their opinions to themselves, but raise disputes, fet people at variance with their bibles, who would never think of thefe difficulties themselves, and draw their attention from points of much more importance.

Let us then leave the doctrine of the bleffed Trinity to reft in that unknown vaftnefs, and awful obfcurity, with which it hath pleafed God to overfpread it. When God revealed himself to Mofes, at the giving of the law, it was in obfcurity; and when he reveals himself, in the gospel, it can be no otherwise for the human understanding cannot poffibly comprehend the deep things of God: yet ftill every thing that was neceffary for the Jews to know in the law; and every thing that is neceffary for us to know in the gofpel; are very plain.

Let us then leave all nice enquiries into this fubject; and confider it in thofe practical lights, in which alone it ought to be the object of our contemplation. Here we carry our Teftaments in our hands and are on fure ground. In this practical view the doctrine of the Trinity is one of the grandeft fubjects, that can be offered to the

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contemplation of a chriftian; which was the fecond point I proposed to confider.

In this light, it holds out to us the Deity in a three-fold manner, graciously condefcending to the good of man.

To God, under the character of our Creator we owe all the bleffings we enjoy. He gives us first the bleffings of this world, of which we are all fo fond-which we are fo loth to leave and which we value much more, than our gracious Creator defires. Our gratitude however is fo much the more due; and fhould lead us to make a proper

return.

But the bleffings of this world, highly as we esteem them, are nothing in comparison of those, which God hath provided for us in the next. He hath furnished us with immortal fouls. He hath placed us in a fituation to improve, and perfect our nature he hath opened heaven to our view-he hath given us a connection with immortal spirits -a title to an eternity of happiness.Why from nothing the profpect of fuch glory fhould be affigned to us, we know not. But furely for fuch goodness all our gratitude is due, which fhould flow in the two great channels of praise, and obe

dience.

dience. His will as far as we can, should be ours. We should refign ourselves to him in all conditions of life. His fupporting and his correcting hand we should receive with equal gratitude. Whether he give us rain, and fruitful seasons; or whether he think it proper to withhold these bleffings-still we acknowledge the fame divine power, who knows what is best for us. On him we caft our care, knowing that he careth for us.

Again, when we contemplate this great Being under the idea of a Redeemer, what new fources of love and gratitude arife!-Man, who was placed originally with every circumftance of happiness about him, disobeyed his maker, fell from that happy ftate, and became fubject to God's difpleafure. By this fatal tranfaction he corrupted his own nature his pofterity drew their corruption from him; and the deficiencies we feel in all our religious performances bear full witness to this fatal truth. We cannot with the best of our endeavours live up to our duty. We may strive against the corruptions of our nature-and it may be hoped, we all do-but still we find, we are frail finners; and have numberless offences to beg pardon for at the throne of grace.-What then would have become of us, if we had had nothing to trust